Book: Drum Warrior by Carolyn J. Rose, Mike Nettleton

Mike Nettleton

about this book: When 16-year old Noah Keene, a rebellious boy who cares only about playing the drums, runs away from home, his 13-year-old-sister Abby, a high-IQ chess prodigy tags along to keep him out of trouble. After all, she's "the brains of the operation." When they're shanghaied into an alternate universe inside Humbug Mountain, a centuries-old prophecy is triggered, leading them into a confrontation with an evil troll and his bloodthirsty armies. Each much use their talents to keep Spid's rampaging troops of bizarre creatures at bay and prevent the bloodbath that will follow if they breach the membrane that separates the worlds of "below" and "above." The end of the world is only a missed drumbeat away.

My wife and I wrote Drum Warrior based on stories I'd told her about being lost on the face of the real Humbug Mountain as a tyke. The imagined creatures and terror of an 8-year-old me translated well to the story of Noah and Abby and their struggle.

The cover, conceived and executed by my wife's cousin Dorian Rose captures a key moment in the race-to-the-crossing climax of Drum Warrior.